I haven't had the chance to read Betrayed yet (because of trying to finish my own book), but I did read the first book, Awakened, which I really liked. Ednah was kind enough to write a guest blog post giving us the scoop on one of the deleted scenes from her new book, Betrayed (a Guardian Legacy book).
At the end of the post, enter for your chance to win one of many prizes, including copies of Betrayed, and a Kindle Fire!
Betrayed blurb: Lil isn't just an average teenager. She's one of the Nephilim--the descendants of humans and angels--which gives her some serious psi skills and a mission for redemption. Just when Lil thinks she's found a balance between her normal life with human friends and her training to become a Guardian, she's warned that someone close to her will betray her. When the boy she loves starts acting strangely and one of her human friends acquires a supernatural ability, Lil begins to realize that someone is manipulating the people she loves... and won't stop until she's been lured to the dark side.
Good morning and
thank you for inviting me to stop by your site on the blog tour for BETRAYED (Guardian
Legacy book). Sometimes
scenes are chopped from the story because they mess with the flow, or the
character took unnecessary detour. This is one of the party scene that was deleted.
DELETED SCENE I
Quarter to eight, I headed upstairs. Bran and Celeste still hadn’t arrived. Something wasn’t right. I had aches on my body yet I hadn’t bumped into anything. I also didn’t get headaches anymore yet my temples throbbed. Those symptoms could only mean one thing—Bran was hurt.
Luke from the mall blocked my path at the top of the stairs, a drink in his hand. “Cool party, Lil.”
“Thanks.” I tried to pass him but he blocked my path. Last time I saw him, he was all over McKenzie. “Where’s McKenzie?”
He put his hands on either side of me, trapping me against the stair rail. “She’s downstairs with your fag DJ friend,” he said with a sneer.
Did I really invite this loser to my party? “The word is gay, which he’s not. And even if he is, who cares.”
Luke smirked, his gaze roaming my face before dropping to my chest. He licked his lips. “You’re hot. I only came here to see you again, not McKenzie. How about we blow and go somewhere private.” He leaned toward me and whispered, “Where’s your bedroom?”
Eew. Get lost, loser. No, get out of my house.
He blinked then took off toward the front door. I glared after him. Someone slid by myself and I turned ready to snap. I bit back the words when I realized it was Christian, my physics buddy, with a plate piled with slices of pizza and grapes. My stomach growled, but I doubted I could eat or hold anything down. Too many things kept me on edge—the call from Valafar, Bran’s absence.
“Was that guy bothering?” Christian asked.
“No. He’s leaving.”
Luke opened the door and stepped out without a backward glance.
“I could follow him for a beat down with one of these.” He grabbed a slice of pizza. “If I threw this at just the right angle and with enough force, it might even slice his head off.”
I laughed. Christian was about five-six and a bit on the chubby side while Luke was six-foot-something ballplayer. “No, that’s okay.”
“This is the best party ever.” He bit chunk of his pizza.
“Get lost, dude. She’s with me,” a voice said from behind us.
I didn’t see Sykes come from behind me until he spoke. His possessive behavior was beginning to worry me. I scowled, watching Christian scurry downstairs.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Stop being rude to my friends. It’s not cool.” I turned and started toward my bedroom. He shadowed me. I unlocked my room and entered.
He stood in the middle of the room and watched me pace. “What’s not cool is Llyr not being here.”
I ignored the dig.
“Do you want me to close the door so you can focus?”
I nodded, but instead of lying on the bed, I pulled out the computer chair and sat. “You don’t have to stay.”
“I don’t mind.” He closed the door, leaned against it and continued to study me. “Do I make you uncomfortable, Lil?”
“No.” Despite my response, I was. He’d been acting weird tonight. “Bran is in trouble.”
Sykes made a face. “How do you know?”
“He took Celeste to see Gavyn and was supposed to be back by seven. It’s now,” I looked at my watch, “ten to eight. Something is wrong.” Sykes didn’t need to know about the special connection between Bran and me. Ever since Remy told me believing in alrunes was archaic, I didn’t dare share anything like that with any of them.
“Do you want me to teleport to the Brotherhood’s and check on them?”
I almost said yes, but resentment gushed from him like water from a geyser. It was obvious he hated discussing Bran. Seriously, I didn’t know what to do or say to lessen Sykes’ feelings for me. Remy insisted Sykes needed time to get over me, yet his feelings seemed to grow stronger. It was becoming harder and harder to bear his frustration.
“Do you?” Sykes asked, still studying from his position by the door.
I sighed. “No, you don’t have to. I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason why he’s late.” Annoyance crossed his face. My gaze went to the drink in his plastic cup and back to his face. “How much have you drunk already?”
He shrugged. “A bit.”
Maybe the alcohol was making him act weird. I narrowed my eyes. “Are drunk?”
He chuckled, took a long sip. “No. We naturally metabolize alcohol faster than humans. Why do you think Kim is the Queen of the Bong, or no guy can beat Izzy at shooting shots? Do you want to try some?” He extended the frothy amber liquid toward me.
I wrinkled my nose. “No thanks. One, Gramps would ground me forever if he ever catches me drinking. And believe me, he’ll know as soon as he walks through the doo. Second, I don’t think I trust anything you say tonight. You’re in a funny mood.”
“Oh, Red. I’m always in a funny mood around you.” He left the door and walked toward me, a wicked glint entering his eyes. “You and Llyr have been fighting a lot lately.”
I shrugged. “We had a little misunderstanding and already made up,” I said in an upbeat tone I didn’t feel. Where was Bran? I looked at my watch again.
Sykes paused by my chair, his jean-clag knee deliberately brushing against my bare skin. He stared down at me. “He doesn’t appreciate you enough.”
“Oh, he does.” My heart pounded as my empathic powers picked up his feelings. He wanted me. Usually he hid it well. Tonight, something egged him on. “It’s just that—”
“Don’t make excuses for him,” he cut me off in a sharp voice, clearly frustrated. “If you were mine, I’d never give you a reason to get angry or disappear when you need me the most.”
Question from Ednah: DO YOU THINK SYKES SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE WITH LIL OR ARE YOU
TIRED OF LOVE TRIANGLES?
Want to win your own copy of Betrayed? Use the Rafflecopter entry form below to join in her blog tour contest. Not only is Ednah giving away copies of Betrayed, she also has a bunch of other amazing prizes, including a Kindle Fire!
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